Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Oct 5: There is the likelihood of the ministry expansion in the state, which had often been postponed for one reason or the other, getting deferred again. The government will have to take this step if the election commission of India announces bypoll for Ramanagara and Jamakhandi constituencies.
Ramanagara seat fell vacant after chief minister, H D Kumaraswamy, who had fought from two constituencies and won from both of them, opted to retain Channapatna seat. The newly elected Congress MLA from Jamakhandi, Siddu Bhimappa Nyamgoud, died in an unfortunate road accident, as a result of which Jamakhandi seat is vacant now.
The election commission is likely to announce dates for these two bypolls along with those of five state assembly polls within a few days. It is gathered that coalition partners in Karnataka, Congress and JD(S), have already agreed to postpone the ministry expansion in such scenario.
The parties are also wary about the prospects of the candidates from these two constituencies suffering a jolt if dissidence breaks out within the parties after ministry is expanded and names for boards and corporations are finalized. JD(S) will most likely field Anitha Kumaraswamy, wife of the chief minister, from Ramanagara constituency. Congress is yet to indicate who would be fielded from Jamakhandi constituency.
On Thursday, in-charge of Congress party affairs in Karnataka, K C Venugopal, met JD(S) supremo, H D Deve Gowda, and held closed door meeting with him for over an hour. It is said that the leaders discussed the current political situation in the state. It is said that Deve Gowda asked Congress to put the ministry expansion on hold till the bypoll is held. Venugopal said that Gowda had given some suggestions about ministry expansion and appointing of heads to corporations and boards and that the same would be discussed with Congress high command and state leaders. At the same time, the chief minister, who is in the national capital to pursue state's projects, might meet Congress president, Rahul Gandhi, to discuss these issues.